New York City DOE Hiring Freeze - The Basics

On May 6, 2009, Chancellor Klein enacted a citywide hiring freeze for all principals. I've been able to find the original memo Klein sent to all the principals detailing why and what exactly this freeze meant. Here are the details most of which is pretty much general knowledge at this point but I feel it is necessary to numerate the basics.

This memo went out to principals prior to the budgets for the 2009-2010 school year were release. In hopes of reducing the spending without laying off teachers, Klein instructed principals that they could not hire outside the current pool of teachers and could only hire current DOE teachers. Other similar restrictions were also put in place for guidance counselors, paraprofessionals, secretaries and parent coordinators. 

Klein explained that the current excess pool of 1,400 employees in all titles needed to be reduced in order to help balance the budget. It seems the goal was to absorb the reductions in positions through attrition. He believed that while there might not be an exact match at each school, system wide there would be a high likelihood that the number of reduced teaching positions could be matched and vacancies filled throughout hiring outside this pool. 

However, Klein listed several shortage areas where principals might be able ot hire new teachers, suhc as special educationa nd science. And brand new schools (within their first three years of opening) could hire up to 50% of their staff from outside the system. 

(To read the full memo see the Gotham Schools post)

While Klein did lift the freeze for science teachers (except Biology) on July 15, 2009 and then again for special education teachers (on July 29, 2009), It became clear however, that the freeze would remain in effect for almost every other subject area (gifted education was also removed from the list in late August).

The freeze remained in effect for the rest of the school year. When next year's budgets were about to be released, Klein sent a similar memo to principals that echoed his sentiments from the year before. In his memo of June 2, 2010 he wrote:

"Like last year, hiring restrictions remain in place, so that nearly all vacant positions can only be filled by transfers or excessed staff. We will be monitoring part-time hiring and the use of substitutes as well. There are, however, immediate exceptions to the restrictions in the following areas: special education, bilingual special education, and speech. Also like last year, we will continuously review and adjust the restrictions to ensure we are best meeting the needs of your schools. We will provide you with additional details about staffing procedures for next year during tomorrow’s Webcast."

This is in addition to no raises for current teachers and on average 4% reduction in school budgets across the city for the 2010-2011 School Year. (For the full memo see the Gotham Schools post of June 2, 2010)

I have heard rumors that other teaching areas are lifted as seen fit for schools and principals based on the changing nature of the current teachers in excess. Unfortunately, what areas might possibly be lifted are anyone's guess. As of now, the freeze remains in effect 13 months later.

No Teacher Left Behind

When I entered my Teaching of Social Studies graduate program last summer (2009), I heard whispers in the halls regarding the NYC DOE "hiring freeze." At the time, I had no idea what this meant but I realized that if it continued it might effect me once I graduated and was on the market for a public school job. But everyone I spoke to told me not to worry! They will lift it by the fall! 

The fall came and went. The freeze was still in effect.

Don't worry they said! It might stay in effect for the rest of the year but there are rumors they will lift it in March! Apply to the DOE anyway!

The long, grey days of March crept by. I applied to the DOE, got my application approved. Yet, the freeze remained.

May came. The freeze was still in place. I graduated. And lo and behold, the freeze played a huge role in complicating my job prospects (as well as the 40 odd colleagues of mine who are/were also searching for jobs). Since graduating in May and obtaining my New York State Initial Certification for Social Studies 7-12, I have joined thousands of newly anointed teachers in New York City with few to no job prospects in the public school system.

After becoming increasingly frustrated and angry with the system and the lack of information out there regarding the freeze, I have decided to start this blog that will hopefully shed light on the hiring freeze and the general budget problems currently plaguing NYC public schools. This blog is more of an exploration of these problems and I hope to provide information to others looking for answers to questions regarding the freeze and working in NYC. While I will undoubtably address issues with my own point of view and political leanings, I will make a concerted effort to focus my posts on relevant information and not digress into a rant or rave on education policy. However, I always welcome discussion and points from any readers.